Are they really that pitiful compared to the global average? I think that in the English-speaking tech sphere we are just too inclined to compare to the US. But compared to the rest of the world, and outside of a few small low-tax hubs (Singapore, UAE, etc), they're quite in line with the rest of the job market.
(I do think we're getting fleeced in absolute terms, but that's nothing specific to the tech industry)
Kinda, the benefit in the UAE is that the taxes are lower, but it's really company-dependent since you have fewer worker protections. I turned down a job offer there because it's so far away, so if you lost the job (see recent layoffs), it'd be a nightmare.
But Australia and Canada both have slightly better salaries too (just not US-level).
(I do think we're getting fleeced in absolute terms, but that's nothing specific to the tech industry)